How Does Philly Feel?


Doing a little research on the Internets, I wandered over to the Philadelphia newspapers to see what they thought about their brand new redheaded toy. Expectations for 2010? Apparently they have none, cause Roy isn't mentioned. It's all crying over Lee.


Philadelphia Inquirer message board:

"Here's the problem. If they Phillies actually wanted to win the World Series they would have kept Lee for this year. Worst case they get 2 draft picks when he leaves. They are content being a contender that's probably not good enough to beat whoever comes out of the AL. It's a shame b/c they are printing money at the Bank with the third highest TV ratings in all of baseball as well. You would like to think it would be about baseball. But it's not. It's about money for a team that is making an obscene amount right now. It bums me out. PS. Thank God Moyer will make 8 million this year. Lee would have made 9."

Jamie Moyer makes 8 million dollars?

"lee won 11 games from july thru the world series. think anyone on the present will win 11 all season in 2010?"

"I hope Lee goes 21-0 for the Mariners, getting rid of him will come back to haunt this team!"

Some hand wringing from Bob Ford. "The question is whether it will still seem reasonable four years from now, when the core of the current Phillies team is crumbling, that second World Series title never materialized, and the Blue Jays and Indians are playing in the American League Championship Series."


Woo!


And things just aren't complete if we don't hear from SOSH


"This doesn't make any sense if you're Philadelphia."


"Oh, and no top of the rotation starter for you NYY." Did CC die?


"Any chance that this is being leaked to entice another team (like the Yankees for instance) to up the bidding for Halladay?Curious to me that this dripped out right after the Lackey physical came to light. " And they somehow make it all about the Yankees/Red Sox. Hey asshole, IT'S NOT ABOUT YOU!!


"Phillie fans don't understand with the financial windfall the team has right now, why they couldn't pony up the $9 million to keep Lee. Most fans feel this to be a small upgrade, and I tend to agree with them."


The real reason Cliff Lee didn't want to be on a team with Doc? He knew his 2008 Cy Young would run away to the Halladay compound and yell "I'm home!!"


The Ballad Goes Silent

Check this kid out. Pale, brace face right out of Denver. He had tough, testing times out of the gate, but pulled himself together and made magic.

Even when we were sad and we were in 3rd place (4th place), we at least had this kid as a trump card. "Yeah, we suck, but we got this guy. The guy is filthy. Suck it, AJ and Yankees (but mostly AJ), we have Doc. Eat shit and die Red Sox, we have the Stormin' Mormon. Don't bother arguing that that wasn't there, Kevin Youkilis, it was there. How do I know? Because Harry Leroy Halladay pitched it there. The ball goes where he wants it to, because the ball loves him."


Check the resume:

6-time MLB All-Star: 2002, 2003, 2005 (was supposed to start but was sidelined with a season-ending injury), 2006, 2008 and 2009 (American League starting pitcher).

American League Cy Young Award: 2003

The Sporting News Pitcher of the Year: 2003

Players Choice Awards (Most Outstanding Pitcher): 2003

2 time AL player of the week:

3 time AL pitcher of the month: May 2003, September 2003, April 2007.

Toronto Blue Jays Career Leader in Win–Loss percentage (.670)

From 2002-2008, Halladay has a .698 winning percentage, 113 wins, 9 shutouts, 37 complete games, and 7.14 innings per start, all of which are the best in the American League in that time frame.

"Roy Halladay against Pujols, best against the best. Halladay is as good as I've seen other than Pedro [Martinez] in his heyday. He's not 96-97 [mph], he's not overpowering, but he's got that cutter, that sinker. He hits his spots and he never makes a mistake. He'll throw that cutter in, then throws a sinker away on the black. It's not fair." -Aubrey Huff.

"He never throws a ball over the middle of the plate. He goes corner-to-corner as good as any pitcher in the game. I've said it before, he's probably the best starter in baseball."



"He is such a complete pitcher. I've seen him give up four runs to us, then he ends up going nine. He has so many pitches. If the cutter isn't working, he goes with the changeup. If the changeup isn't working, he goes with the breaking ball. If that's not working, he makes something up. I used to tell Petey [Pedro Martinez] that if I was a general manager, and Roy was a free agent, I'd go over to his house, I'd give him a contract, I'd tell him to fill in a number and I'll be happy." -Alex Cora


Philadelphia, you are getting not only one of the greatest pitchers to throw the ball, but a class act and a genuinely good man. Thanks Brandy and little Roylets for sharing him with us. Here, have some canned goods for the move.

The near no-hit Halladay pitched against the Yankees last September was the closest feeling to sports magic I have felt live. He was in complete control and the powerful Yankees looked pathetic.

He was a living legend for our team and it was an honour to watch Roy Halladay pitch every 5 days. Thanks, buddy.